By Meridyth Sanders ’21, staff writer
Lebanon Valley College recently partnered with the Caron Treatment Center to provide on-campus housing for recovering drug and alcohol addicts.
“What we are able to do is provide an avenue for students who had completed primary treatment for their addiction to return or begin their college career,” Greg Krikorian, vice president of student affairs and dean of students, said.
The Caron Treatment Center is a world-class treatment facility for drug and alcohol addicts in Wernersville. Attendees must complete their primary treatment and receive a recommendation before enrolling as full-time students at LVC.
Once enrolled, these students may continue their education by taking classes while living together in a safe, therapeutic environment with a live-in staff member. All participants must attend three 12-Step meetings per week and work with a 12-Step counselor once a week.
Krikorian initiated the program after seeing his own son benefit immensely from recovery treatment.
“I saw firsthand what’s possible with help,” Krikorian said.
This program was implemented at LVC because Krikorian believes the environment is strongly cultivated with a community of good people.
“We are an accepting and supportive community,” Krikorian said when describing the reasons he believed a program like this could thrive at the College.
Krikorian feels the new program will add another dynamic to LVC’s diverse body of students. The new students on campus involved in this program offer a new set of experiences and insight that many other students may not consider otherwise.
The program benefits the student body in other ways as well. The new partnership with the Caron Treatment Center gave an opportunity for guest speakers from Caron to visit classes, specifically within the psychology and science departments, and discuss matters such as addiction and recovery.
So far, only one other college in the region offers a similar program. Krikorian hopes that this program will give LVC and other colleges a way to be part of the solution to the addiction epidemic rather than part of the problem.